N01446:231
A guide to Christ. Or, The way of directing souls that are under the…
A guide to Christ. Or, The way of directing souls that are under the work of conversion. Compiled for the help of young ministers: and may be serviceable to private Christians, who are enquiring the way to Zion. / By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. and Pastor of the church in Northampton. ; With an epistle prefixed, by the Reverend Dr. Increase Mather.
Boston: printed by J. Allen for N. Boone, 1714
Directions How to guide Souls through the Work of Conversion.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. Because they are labouring to make their hearts better. They are labouring to mend themselves; and upon this account they labour after it, that they may be necessitated to submit ⟨p. 73⟩to the will of God; that their own goodness may be a bond upon God to save them, that it may not be in the free liberty of God to do what he pleases with them: And upon this account they strive to submit to God, that they make a Righteousness of that.
2. Because at the same time they are hiding their own hearts from themselves; they are afraid to see how bad they are. If they have any Convictions of their own badness, they will stifle them if they can: they are labouring to excuse themselves, and love to look upon any thing in themselves that seems like goodness; they are persuading of themselves that they are better than they are, which are great hindrances to Submission.
2. Because at the same time they are hiding their own hearts from themselves; they are afraid to see how bad they are. If they have any Convictions of their own badness, they will stifle them if they can: they are labouring to excuse themselves, and love to look upon any thing in themselves that seems like goodness; they are perswading of themselves that they are better than they are, which are great hindrances to Submission.
3. Because they are not thoroughly convinced of a necessity of submission to God. If they were convinced of a necessity of it, they would do it; and if they be not convinced of it, they can't strive sincerely after it: as long as men hope that they may make a shift without it, they will not heartily seek after it: As long as they hope that their own righteousness will lay a bond upon God, and that it is not fair for God to condemn them, they will not heartily endeavour after submission.